Meet Emily Herra, 17-year-old who turned a trash-filled lot into a community garden; won $10,000 for climate work

When Emily Herra was 12, she tried to introduce a composting programme at her school. The idea was met with resistance from administrators who believed it would be too complicated to implement. But the young New Yorker persisted, eventually getting the programme running and setting her sights on a bigger challenge: transforming a neglected patch of land in her neighbourhood into a space where people and nature are now thriving together.Five years later, the now 17-year-old has been recognised for her environmental work with the 2026 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. She co-founded Veggie Nuggets, a youth-led climate activism group based in Jackson Heights and the wider Queens area of New York City. Its signature project is the restoration of a previously abandoned 3,600-square-foot lot, which now features 1,800 square feet of pollinator habitat and a 130-foot climate justice mural.The prize, announced on September 15, 2026, recognises young people who have made a significant positive difference to their communities or the environment. Herra is among 15 top winners, each receiving $10,000 to support their service work or higher education, according to the award's official announ...